Since 2006, this podcast has been using history to elevate today's political debates. "The perfect antidote to bloviating talking heads, My History is thoughtful, nuanced, and highly engaging." -Columbia Journalism Review
Latest episodes
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1 h 04
WHAT WE SAID LAST MIDTERM ELECTION: The 2022 Midterm Result, and Listener Questions
4 years ago we said this... Call 2022 the Mick Jagger midterm - neither party got fully what they wanted. Both parties experienced win and losses. It is, so far, largely a "stave m…
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41 min
TEDDY'S TEST: THE 1902 MIDTERM ELECTIONS
A normal midterm with its usual issues between the parties becomes a test for a new President when a labor strike unexpectedly reaches his desk. The opposition party gains, but so…
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43 min
MIDTERMS: NIXON'S LONELY MIDTERM, 1970
Nixon's first presidential midterm election (the election in which the House and Senate would be up for election) would turn out to be his last, but no one knew it at the time. Nix…
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45 min
OBSCURE (BUT IMPORTANT) MIDTERMS 1886, 1914, 1898
Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson and William McKinley's midterm elections are not remembered. But each one changed history in its own way. One confined a President, the other chang…
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30 min
MIDTERMS: 2002 Bush Goes Against The Trend
The midterm election that didn't. In 2002, With national security on the minds of voters and a poor message in opposition, the President's party gained seats in the House for the f…
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28 min
JULIA TYLER DEBATE and Other Stories
In the run up to the Civil War, former first lady Julia Tyler participated in a political debate. Moderns will appreciate her participation in politics as an empowered well written…
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45 min
MIDTERMS: CRANKY CONFEDERATES ..C.S.A. CONGRESS ELECTIONS OF 1863-4
It had a short history, but within the time of the Civil War, the Confederate States had two Congressional elections. The second in 1863 (and 1864 in some states) should be seen as…
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30 min
HERBERT HOOVER'S STRANGE MIDTERM OF 1930
Hoover did a difficult thing. He beat back challenges and his party won control. Until a string of congressional deaths changed the picture. The 72nd Congress of 1931 was, as elect…
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17 min
HOW BOOMERS WERE VIEWED IN 1966
Strange, introspective, radical, achieving, protesting, scoffing. These words could all be used in TIME magazine's Men and Women of The Year to describe late Silents and Boomers. W…
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38 min
REFUSING A CROWN? WASHINGTON AND HIS DECISION w/ RICHARD LIM OF THIS AMERICAN PRESIDENT
It's oft said that Washington refused a crown. With Richard Lim of This American President, we get real about this topic. His book Refusing a Crown is the first book to place Washi…
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1 h 15
"I WILL TELL YOU WHAT THE NEWS IS" OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC, EIGHTH AND FINAL
In our final episode, we look at a few historic media that truly sought to tell readers not just the news, but what the news was. From Bennett to Drudge, we look at these innovator…
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34 min
COXEY'S ARMY, MEDIA AND OTHER THINGS WITH JERRY SPENCER
A talk with Listener Jerry Spencer about Coxey's Army, which marched to DC during a depression in the 1890's. And also about how Hearst and Pulitzer's papers fueled the story. Lear…
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1 h 22
MIDTERMS DONT ALWAYS GO BADLY FOR PRESIDENTS: (But Mostly They Do)
In the past 100 years, over 80% of the first term midterms went badly for Presidents, and their party lost seats. But in a few cases they did not. And a few times when they did, th…
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54 min
BIAS: OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC, PART SEVEN
We've talked about who owns media, who writes it. Now will talk about the debates about what is in it? This episode is about bias in the news media. Learn more about your ad choice…
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46 min
ANDREW JACKSON'S MEDIA SPOILS: OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC, PART SIX
"To the victor goes the spoils" True of government jobs after a 19th century election. Also true of newspapers. Much of the spoils system perfected during Jackson's time helped new…
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51 min
GIGGLE CLUB: FDR'S PRESS STRATEGY - OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC, PART FIVE
First rule is: Nobody talks about Giggle Club. Second. When he says no pencils, it's no pencils. Third. Get a buddy. Fourth. Don't take it so seriously, my good man. FDR's Press re…
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45 min
GRANT'S TROLL AND THE MAN IN THE CASTLE: OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC, PART FOUR
Press has power. Can it be too much? Or is it needed to offset governmental power? We look at some interesting, powerful, and at times problematic press people. The renegade Grant…
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1 h 06
GET ME ON TV: OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC - PART THREE
TV technology arrives on the scene half press and half novelty. Politicians learn they can bring messages on at times that won't be critiqued. Yet twice, in big historic moments, t…
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46 min
LINCOLN'S CRITIC: OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC - PART TWO
The Battle of Chancellorsville. The Union has got the Confederates in their sights. But not for long. All the while, a reporter named Whitelaw Reid is tracking events. He's been ki…
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1 h 24
OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC, PART ONE
Eisenhower gets irritated. Lincoln finds a friend. Theodore Roosevelt seeks the truth at lunch. Madison sees talent. Greeley won't miss his dinner, despite the riots. And a man has…